Automatic feeding device



Sept. 30, 1958" N. L. COTTON AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 16, 1956 INVENTOR.

Sept. 30, 1958 N. L. COTTON 2,854,234

- AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE Filed July 16, 195E 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. A aP/ M/V A. 60770 United States Patent 2,854,234 AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE Norman L. Cotton, Menlo Park, Calif.

Application July 16, 1956, Serial No. 598,037

6 Claims. (Cl. 271-2.4)

This invention relates generally toautomatic feeding devices and more particularly to automatic feeding devices for continuous strips.

In many operations it is desirable to automatically feed continuous strips. For example, with addressing machines, it is desirable to feed small serially connected forms automatically through the addressing machine for printing purposes. In the past, automatic feeding devices provided for this purpose have been generally unsatisfactory. ln particular, they have been relatively expensive and often failed to register the forms or strips properly for printing and other operations.

in general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a feeding device for automatically advancing continuous strips.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic feeding device of the above character which is self contained and which is readily movable for use on different machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic feeding device of the above character which will precisely feed continuous strips without loss of registration.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic feeding device of the above character which is adjustable for various sizes of continuous strips.

Additional features and objects of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiment has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of .an automatic feeding device incorporating the present invention with the cover removed.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the automatic feeding device shown in Figure l with the cover in place.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the guide means for the automatic feeding device.

Figure 6 is a circuit diagram of the device with certain parts schematically illustrated,

In general, the present invention consists of a device for automatically feeding a continuous strip having spaced notches in one of its side edges. The device has been provided with means for guiding the strips in a predetermined path. Advancing means is mounted adjacent the guide means and is adapted to be conditioned to advance the strip. Motive means is provided for conditioning the advancing means to cause it to advance the strip. Circuit means controls the energization of the motive means and includes first control contacts adapted to be closed to initiate operation of the motive means to start advancement of the strip and second control contacts adapted to maintain operation of the motive means and to discon- 7 ice? tinue operation of the same when the strip has been moved the distance between two adjacent notches.

My automatic feeding device illustrated in the drawing consists of a base plate 11 which forms a mounting for a gearmotor 12, a solenoid 13, advancing means 14, guide means 16, a switch 17 and terminal box 18. A pad 19 of suitable material such as foam rubber is provided on the bottom of the base plate 11.

The advancing means 14 is shown in detail in Figures 3 and 4 and consists of a mounting block 21 which is fixed to the base plate 11 by suitable means such as screws 22. The mounting block is formed of a suitable material such as brass and rotatably carries a drive shaft 23 which is mounted in bores 24. Another drive shaft 26 is loosely carried in a bore 27, the bore 27 being substantially greater in diameter than the diameter of the drive shaft 26. A pair of intermeshing gears 23 and 29 are mounted on the shafts 23 and 26 and are fastened to the shafts by suitable means such as set screws 31. Shaft 23 is driven by a sprocket wheel 32 which is fixed thereto by suitable means such as a set screw 33. Sprocket wheel 32 is driven by a chain belt 34 that is driven by a sprocket wheel 36 mounted on the output shaft of the gearmotor 12.

A pair of rollers 38 and 39 provided with knurled surfaces are mounted on the end of the shafts 23 and 26 opposite the ends on which gears 28 and 29 are mounted. They are fixed to the shafts by suitable means such as set screws 42.

Suitable means is provided for rotatably supporting the shaft 26 between a retracted and non-driving position as shown in Figure 3 and an actuated driving position in which the knurled roller 39 is urged into engagement with the knurled roller 38 to advance a continuous strip 43. Such means can consist of a pair of lower bearing blocks 44 and 46 and a pair of upper bearing blocks 47 and 48 slidably mounted in bores 49. Each of the bearing blocks is provided with an arcuate surface 50 which engages the shaft 26. Bearing blocks 44 and 46 are continuously urged in an upward direction by spring 51 and serve to move the shaft '26 to the retracted non-driving position shown in Figure 3.

Upward movement of the bearing blocks 47 is limited by a screw 53 which is threaded into a member 54 fixed to the mounting block 21. A nut 56 serves to lock the screw 53 in a desired position. It is apparent that by movement of the screw 53 the engagement between gears 28 and 29 can be controlled while at the same time allowing limited movement of the shaft 26 to permit roller 39 to be urged into engagement with roller 38.

Suitable means is provided for moving the bearing block 48 to urge the roller 39 into adriving position and consists of a screw 58 which is threaded into bearing block 48 and locked in position by a nut 59. An operating arm 61 is pivotally mounted on the block 21 at 62 and has a portion 61a adapted to engage the top of the screw 58. It is evident that when the lower portion 61b of the operating arm 61 is moved to the left as viewed in Figure 4 that the bearing block 48 will be urged downwardly to cause downward movement of the shaft 26 to bring the roller 39 into a driving position. Release of the operating arm will permit the spring 51 to urge the roller 39 to a non-driving position.

Suitable motive means is provided for operating the arm 61 and consists of a solenoid 13 having a plunger 64. A pin 66 is mounted on the plunger and engages the portion 61b of the operating arm 61 as shown in Figures l and 4. When the solenoid is energized, the plunger 64 is drawn into the solenoid to cause movement of the pin 66 which causes portion 61b of the arm 61 to be moved to the left as viewed in Figure 4. Upon de-energization of the solenoid, springs 51 urge the bearing blocks 46 and 48 upwardly to cause movement of the portion 61b and the pin 66 to the right as viewed in Figure 4.

A vertical guide wall 68 is fixed to the mountingblock 21 by suitable means such as screws 69 and is fixed thereto in such a manner that the rollers 38 and 39 are on one side of the guide wall and the mounting block 21 is on the other side of the guide wall.

The guide means 16 is disposed adjacent the guide wall 68 and consists of a block 70 fixed to the base plate by suitable means such as screws 71. The block is provided with a guidesurface 72 which is inclined upwardly to the left as viewed in Figure 2. A rigid strip 73 having upwardly turned edge portions 73a and 73b is mounted on the guide wall 68 by suitable means such as screws 74 and has its lower surface spaced a slight distance from the guidesurface 72 to provide a guide slot 76. The position of the guide slot 76 is such that it guide rod 77 and is generally of a length equal to the width of the strip 43 to be fed by the device.

The guide wall 68 is formed with a hole 82 which is adapted to accommodate an L-shaped operating lever 83.

As shown in Figure 5, block 70 is provided with a recess 84 adjacent the hole 82 and the strip 73 is formed with an opening 86 to accommodate the operating lever 83. The switch 17 is carried in a predetermined position by a bracket 88 fixed to the base plate 11. It will be noted that the operating lever 83 extends for a slight distance forward of the guide wall 68 for a purpose hereinafter described. Movement of the operating lever 83 relative to the hole 82 in the guide wall 68 serves to move the switch 17 between open and closed positions for a purpose hereinafter described.

' A toggle switch 89 is mounted onthe'guide wall 68 to control the operation of the motor 12 as hereinafter described. A power socket 91 and a control socket 92 are mounted on a bracket 93 fixed to the. base plate 11 andterminate in the terminal box 18.

A pair of right angle brackets 94 are fixed to the base plate 11 and serve as a mounting for a cover (not shown) which is fixed to the guide wall 68 by screws .96.

The circuit diagram in Figure 6 includes current supply lines L1 and L2 which may be the standard 120 volt 60 cycle A. C. Conductor 101 connects supply line L1 to one side of switch 89 and the other side of switch 89 is connected to the movable contact of switch 17 by conductor 1412. Conductor 102 is connected to one side of the motor 12 by conductor 103 and the other side of the motor 12 is connected to line L2 by conductor 1.04. Conductor 104 is connected to one side of solenoid 13 by conductor 186 and the other side of the solenoid 13 is connected to the stationary contact of switch 17 by conductor 1137. Conductor 107 is connected to the control terminal C1 by conductor 108 and conductor 102'is connected to terminal C2 by conductor 109. It is to be understood that lines L1 and L2 are connected to the power socket 91 and that the control terminals C1 and C2 are connected to the control socket 92.

It is apparent that when switch 89 is closed motor 12 will be operated. It is also apparent that when switch 17 is closed solenoid 13 will be energized. The solenoid 13 is also adapted to be energized through terminals C1 and C2 by suitable means for completing a circuit between terminals Cl and C2. Such means can consist of a switch 111 in Whichthe stationary contact is connected to terminal C1 by suitable means such as a conductor 112'and the movable contact is connected to terminal 38 and 39 will not cause advancement of the strip 43.

C2 by a conductor 113. The switch 111 is adapted to be moved between an open and closed position by a lever 114 which can be operated by suitablemeans. For example, the operating lever can carry a roller or cam follower 116 which is adapted to engage a cam member 117 mounted on a rotating shaft 118. From the contour of the cam 117 it is apparent that the switch 111 will be moved between open and closed positions on every 360 rotation of the cam to cause energization of the sole-.

noid 13.

Operation of my automatic feeding device may now be described briefly as follows: Let it be assumed that it is desired to periodically feed a continuous strip a predetermined distance upon each operation of the switch 111. For example, the shaft 118 could be part of an addressing machine. The switch 111 would then be operated by the cam 117 during every revolution of the shaft 118 to periodically advance a continuous strip through an addressing machine.

The continuous strip 43 can be in any suitable form, however, the strip must be provided with suitable indicia for a purpose hereinafter described. As shown in Figure 1, the continuous strip 43 can be comprised of a plurality of small forms 43a, 43b, 43c, 43d, 432, etc. which are separated by perforations 121. Indicia in the form of V-shaped notches 122 have been provided on both sides of the strip on the perforated lines 121 and are adapted to be engaged by the operating lever 83. How ever, indicia on one side would be satisfactory.

Assuming that the strip 43 has been threaded through the guide slot 76 and between the two rollers 38 and 39 and in such a manner that one of the notches 122 is in registration with the lever 83. The keeper 78 is positioned on the rod 77 adjacent the bushing 81 and serves to maintain the strip in close proximity to the wall 68 so that the wall will serve as a guide as the strip is advanced.

After the strip 43 has been positioned as shown in Figure 1, the toggle switch 89 is operated to startthe motor 12 in operation. Operation of the motor 12 causes gears 28 and 29 to be driven which in turn causes rotation of rollers 38 and 39. However, at this time, rollers because the roller 39 is in a retracted non-driving position. a

Let it now be assumed that the means for operating the cam 118 such as an addressing machine is put into operation. Upon closing of switch 111, solenoid 13 will be energized to cause operation of the arm 61 to urge the roller 39 into a driving position with respect to roller 38 to cause the rollers 38 and 39 to frictionally engage the strip243 to advance it towards the left as viewed in Figure As shown schematically in Figure 6, when the operating lever 83 is in registration with a notch in the strip 43, the switch 17 is in an open position. As soon as the strip is advanced by the closing of switch 111, the operating lever 83 is urged upwardly and out of the notch as viewed in Figure 1 to close the switch 17. The switch 17 serves to maintain energization of the solenoid 13 even though the circuit previously established for energizing the solenoid 13 is opened by opening of switch 111. Normally, switch 111 will only be closed for an interval of time sufficient to advance the strip far enough to cause closing of the switch 17.

By switch 17, the roller 39 is maintained in a driving position and continues to advance the strip 43 until the operating lever 83 again comes into registration with the next notch 122 appearing on the strip. As soon as this occurs, the switch 17 is opened causing de-energization of the solenoid 13 and movement of the roller 39 to a retracted position thus stopping advancement of the strip 43.

As soon as the switch 111 is again closed, the strip 43 will again be advanced a distance equal to the distance between two adjacent notches. By properly spacing adjacent notches, such as by placing a notch at the beginning and end of each form, it is apparent that my automatic feeding device can be used for automatically feeding small forms with perfect registration.

It is evident from the foregoing that I have provided an automatic feeding device which is economical to produce and simple to operate. The device is particularly adapted for precisely feeding small forms with no gain or loss in registration regardless of the number of forms in any one run,

I claim:

1. In a device for automatically feeding a continuous strip having spaced notches in one of its side edges, means for guiding said strip in a predetermined path, advancing means mounted adjacent said guide means and adapted to be conditioned to advance said strip, motive means for conditioning said advancing means to cause the same to advance said strip, circuit means adapted to control operation of said motive means, said circuit means including first control contacts adapted to be closed to initiate operation of the motive means to start advancing the strip and second control contacts adapted to maintain operation of said motive means and to de-energize the same when the strip has moved the distance between two adjacent notches, and a member engaging said one edge of said strip for operating said second control contacts.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said guide means comprises a vertical guide wall having a hole formed therein, said member extending through said hole, a pair of guide members mounted adjacent said hole and forming a guide slot therebetween, a rod mounted 'on said vertical guide wall adjacent said slot, and means mounted on said rod for retaining one side of said strip in relatively close contact with said guide wall to cause one side of said strip to engage said member extending through said hole.

3. In a device for automatically feeding a continuous strip having spaced notches in one of its side edges, means for guiding said strip in a predetemined path, advancing means mounted adjacent said guide means and adapted to be conditioned to advance said strip, motive means for conditioning said advancing means to cause the same to advance said strip, circuit means adapted to control operation of said motive means, said circuit means including first control contacts adapted to be closed to initiate energization of the motive means to start advancement of the strip and second control contacts movable between two positions and adapted to maintain operation of the motive means and to deenergize the motive means when the strip has moved a distance between two adjacent notches, and a member engaging said one edge of the strip for operation of said second control contacts, said member when in registration with one of said notches serving to place the second control contacts in one position and when out of registration with one of said notches serving to place the second control contacts in the other position.

4. In a device for automatically feeding a continuous strip having spaced notches in one of its side edges, means for guiding said strip in a predetermined path,

a pair of rollers, means for continuously rotating said rollers, means journalling one of said rollers serving to normally maintain said one roller in a retracted nondriving position but permitting movement of said one roller into an actuated driving relationship with respect to said other roller, solenoid operated means for moving said one roller to an actuated driving position to cause the rollers to advance said strip, circuit means adapted to control energization of said solenoid operated means, said circuit means including first control contacts adapted to be closed to initiate energization of said solenoid operated means to start advancing the strip and second control contacts adapted to maintain energization of said solenoid operated means and to de-energize the same when the strip has moved the distance between two notches, and a member engaging said one edge of the strip for operation of said second control contacts, said member when in registration with one of said notches serving to maintain said second control contacts in an open position and when not in registration with one of said notches serving to maintain second control contacts in a closed position.

5. In a device for automatically feeding a continuous strip having spaced notches in one of its side edges, means including an outer guide wall having an exposed outer surface for guiding said strip in a predetermined path, one edge of the strip moving adjacent said exposed outer surface of the guide Wall, advancing means mounted adjacent the outer surface of the guide wall and adapted to be conditioned to advance said strip, motive means mounted on the inner side of said guide wall for conditioning said advancing means to cause the same to advance said strip, circuit means adapted to control operation of said motive means, said circuit means including first control contacts adapted to be closed to initiate energization of the motive means to start advancement of the strip and second control contacts movable between two positions and adapted to maintain operation of the motive means and to deenergize the motive means when the strip is moved a distance between two adjacent notches, and a member extending through an opening in said guide wall engaging said one edge of the strip for operation of said second control contacts, said member when in registration with one of said notches serving to place the second control contacts in one position and when out of registration with one of said notches serving to place the second control contacts in the other position.

6. A device as in claim 5 wherein said advancing means includes a pair of rollers, means for continuously rotating said rollers, and means serving to rotatably mount one of said rollers to normally maintain said one roller in a retracted non-driving position but permitting movement of said one roller into an actuated driving relationship with respect to said other roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

